The Dunwiddie Incident
by FidgetGlitterBlossom
Summary: A lab accident results in a potion gone wrong. A mischievous Sofia tastes it, accidentally falling under Cedric's spell. When Cedric sets out to gather the ingredients for a counter curse, the potion falls into the wrong hands. M for mature themes, Cedfia, and very likely violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This started as a requested this story idea. I thought it was brilliant, and I'm having a lot of fun writing it. Reviews are always loved!

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Cedric was cautiously measuring out the aromatic ground callamus root over his boiling cast-iron cauldron when the heavy wooden door to his tower burst open unexpectedly, careening into the wall beside it with a loud thud.

"Mr Ceee-driic!" A young female voice echoed off the stone walls of his workshop, drawing out the mispronunciation of his forename tauntingly, both of them fully aware that she was capable of speaking it properly when it suited her mood.

Jerking from the ruckus, he groaned in frustration as he watched the entire contents of the bottle dump out into the cauldron, causing the brew to explode, though he was now so accustomed to such incidents that he expertly dodged the blast. The source of his disruption bounded across the room to throw her arms around the sorcerer, her body pressed much too firmly against the back of his robed form for his comfort.

"How many times must I tell you to never sneak up on me when I'm working?" Cedric demanded, trying valiantly to wriggle free of his apprentice's iron grip so he could turn and scold the rambunctious young woman properly. One of the hands released him to reach forward, casually dipping a slender finger into the bubbling obsidian ooze threatening to overflow from the pot.

"Wha-tcha making?" She drawled languidly, her dulcet tone light and teasing. Cedric finally succeeded in escaping and spun himself around just in time to see his beautiful young apprentice's finger dip into her mouth, her lips wrapping around the digit as she sampled the botched potion. He willed himself to look away, chewing his bottom lip to suppress another groan that threatened to escape his body, this time for very different reasons. His eyes betrayed him, refusing to obey his command to rest anywhere but on Sofia's soft, plump lips. He cleared his throat in an effort to find his voice.

"Merlin's Mushrooms, girl! You know better than to taste a potion without knowing what it does!" He admonished, trying to feel anything but rapidly increasing arousal at the sight of her. It was far too late for that, though, and as she skipped across the workshop to hoist herself up onto his desk, sitting with her legs slightly farther apart than was proper and swinging her feet back and forth, he couldn't help but allow his eyes to roam her alluring figure.

Sofia had remained shorter than Cedric as she blossomed into adulthood, just the right height for him to rest his chin atop her head while holding her close, were he ever so inclined. Her bodice had filled out beautifully, ample cleavage heaving as she sat panting from the exertion of racing up the stairs to his tower. Her waist was narrow, even in her apprentice gown with no corset beneath it, and unwittingly beckoned black-gloved hands to wrap around it. His gaze moved back up. His favourite features, surprisingly enough, were above those fantastic breasts that the amulet of Avalor now tucked so neatly between. Her rose petal lips, her consistently tinted pink cheeks, the soft russet tresses that cascaded in spiralled tendrils down her back. But those eyes, those sparkling, dancing, tantalising azure jewels... He often found himself caught in their hypnotic lure, drowning in them until nothing else existed in the world except for Sofia and those eyes. Slowly, he registered the sound of her melodic voice, soft and lilting. She had a voice that would drive the very angels mad with jealousy. Just as he became aware that she was speaking to him, her tone inflected upwards, then abruptly stopped. _Neptune's Nettles, I think that was a question. What should I say?_ He stepped closer, hoping she would believe he'd been too far to hear her properly.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" He asked, coming to a stop just feet away from her. As she dutifully repeated herself, he begged his mind to concentrate on her words, and not on the fact that, while perched upon his desk, she was at the perfect height and angle to coil her legs tightly around his waist as he buried himself deep within her core. Failing spectacularly, he instead fought to suppress the involuntary shudder his treacherous body gave in response to such lascivious fantasies. "I think the explosion impacted my hearing." He lied sheepishly, his eyes flying wide in mock alarm to complete the ruse. The concern that clouded her expression confirmed that this feeble excuse had somehow worked on the sorceress-in-training.

"Oh no! Are you alright?" She questioned anxiously, her voice raised for his benefit.

"Yes, yes. I'll be fine. Now what is it you were saying?" Cedric demanded, impatient to hear what she was trying to tell him before his disobedient thoughts could wander back to forbidden fruit.

"He said yes!" Sofia exclaimed, her voice still louder than normal so his allegedly impaired ears would hear her message. Her eyes twinkled with glee as she grinned at him, anxious to finally witness his reaction. The astounded look that overtook his sharp features was everything she had hoped it would be when imagining this moment.

"I-I... He... That is to say..." Cedric floundered for want of words that could adequately describe the torrent of emotions coursing through him. The room was silent as he gathered his racing thoughts and forced himself to form a cohesive sentence. "Honestly?" He finally settled on one word to sum up his disbelief for her statement, letting it out on a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. Sofia's wide smile reached her eyes, and she bobbed her head wildly, the silky curls that framed her ethereal visage dancing in rhythm with the gesture.

"Yes, we won! We finally, truly won. I was asking you when you thought we should schedule it." She was telling the truth. He entertained the possibility that he was merely dreaming this visit. If this was a vision inflicted upon him by his subconscious, Cedric intended to enjoy it rather than argue with Sofia's spectre about the utter impossibility of her declaration. If this wasn't a dream, and he didn't dare to fathom the odds of that, then she was really here, her gaze eagerly imploring him to respond. How he longed to close the gap between them, drawing her into his embrace in celebration of this hoped-for yet thoroughly unexpected news.

"I'll... I'll make arrangements immediately, of course." He stammered out his promise, frowning at the way the solid stonework seemingly swayed beneath his feet. He was so focused on this strange phenomenon that he missed the way Sofia's pupils had begun to dilate. Once he sufficiently calmed his fragile nerves, he returned to his usual ornery countenance. "Come down from there so I can work, child." He was cognisant of the fact that Sofia was not, in fact, a child any longer. His senses alerted him to her flowering adulthood at every turn. He simply brandished the term to teasingly admonish her whenever she was testing his patience with her impish antics.

When the youngest princess wordlessly planted her feet on the floor and rose from her spot on his workspace, he froze in astonishment. Swivelling his head to study her, he quirked his eyebrow at his long time companion's uncharacteristic compliance. If there was any single thing the princess wasn't known for, it was following directions. This was especially true for any that came from her Master Sorcerer, as she much preferred to provoke him to the very brink of madness, only to change course abruptly, overwhelming him with angelic charm just in time to keep him from losing his sanity completely. It was a game she played expertly, having spent the last decade honing her skills. She knew exactly which nerves to strike, and precisely how much she could incite him before passing the breaking point. If Cedric was honest with himself, he would have to admit that he relished in these battles of will as much as or maybe even more so than Sofia did. And so it was that this seemingly inconsequential display of obedience from his apprentice was more than enough to set off red flags all over Cedric's mind.

"Sofia... Go and pet Wormy." He instructed, drawing the words out slowly and watching his princess apprentice intently. Her bare feet fell softly upon the cold, grey floor as she crossed the room to reach the objective of his request. Stopping in front of the sleeping raven, she gingerly reached her elegant fingers out and stroked the ebony plumage of his chest. The bird made contented noises in his sleep before rousing. Self-awareness restored, Wormwood uttered a stream of complaints at being handled like a common house cat. "Quiet, Wormy. Watch this!" Cedric demanded, holding a hand up to silence his familiar.

"Sofia, come to me." He stated firmly. She spun on her heels and smiled sweetly at him, her jewel-toned eyes clouded over, pupils blown wide.

"Of course, Cedric." She agreed, returning swiftly to stand agonisingly close to the sorcerer.

"Kiss him, Sofia." Wormwood called out, cackling wickedly as he waited to watch the chaos that would ensue when the princess obeyed him. Cedric turned bright red, and prepared himself to demand that she stop, even though he wasn't sure he could bring himself to do it. He closed his eyes to clear his mind of all doubt that he would do what he had to when it came time. Nothing happened. Forcing his eyes open again, Cedric found himself still face-to-face with a motionless Sofia.

"Well that's no fun!" Wormwood complained loudly. Cedric wondered if maybe the spell had worn off, but his apprentice certainly still looked enchanted.

"Give me the amulet, child." He uttered in his most commanding voice, though internally he was a jumble of raw nerves, terrified that this would be the task that snapped Sofia to her senses, and she wouldn't believe he had merely been testing the spell.

Slowly, she reached her hands up to meet behind her neck, fumbling only slightly with the clasp of the chain. Cedric swallowed hard in anticipation. He had long ago abandoned any desires for the amulet, that was not the cause. It was the idea of having Sofia acquiescing to his every whim that made his pulse race now. Her fingers wrapped around his hand, pulling it towards her and prying his fingers open, eager to complete her mission. Her other hand pressed the magical necklace into his covered palm, her eyes never leaving his face as she surrendered her most treasured possession to him without so much as a whisper of protest.

"I guess she only listens to me. That's a change." He laughed at the absurdity of it, relief and disappointment warring within him because she hadn't followed Wormwood's orders.

"Then you tell her to kiss you. Go ahead, I know you want to." Wormwood pressed him, well aware of the feelings his Master harboured for the grown princess.

Cedric looked Sofia over, a turbulent storm rising within him. It was so very tempting to compel Sofia to press her lips against his, to run her fingers through his two-toned hair as their tongues danced together exquisitely. The barrier of their Master and apprentice relationship irreparably broken, he may find himself unable to stop there. He could shoo the raven away, hoisting Sofia back onto his desk, and ordering her to accept him in the most intimate ways. All of his deepest, darkest, most perverse hidden fantasies were just a few short words away. His face fell as he considered the outcome. Sure he would enjoy it. Being with her would likely be the best thing that had ever happened to him. But it would be empty, meaningless, a hollow victory. Yes, he wanted Sofia's lips, her breasts, the untried paradise that was her body, but above all, he craved her heart. He could instruct her to love him, and she would likely approximate the emotion to a point where it was nearly indistinguishable from actual love, but it would never be the real thing. Besides, it wouldn't take long for him to tire of a parody of Sofia who didn't present an almost constant, nearly brattish challenge to him, nor held her overwhelming exuberance. Skirting around the waiting girl, he reached for the cabinet where he kept his book of counter magic. Dropping it onto the desk with an unceremonious thump, he licked his thumb and flipped through the weathered pages hastily, determined to find a spell that would undo the effects of Sofia's enchantment.

"Cedric... what are you doing?" Wormwood enquired suspiciously, cocking his head to the side as he watched his Master skimming through the book at a frantic pace.

"I'm releasing her." Cedric muttered, though he was quite sure his intentions were already obvious to the raven. Landing on a relevant page, he ran his fingers over the list of magical ingredients he would need to return Sofia to her usual endearingly vexatious self.

"Of all the ridiculous times to grow a conscience!" Wormwood fumed, flapping his wings in annoyance and flying away through the high, open window of the tower. Cedric ignored his familiar's exit as he read on.

"Sofia, did you replenish the agrimony stores?" He questioned more out of habit than actual expectation that she would answer.

"No, Cedric, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." She begged him for reprieve, scrambling to her knees and groveling at his feet. Cedric's eyes flew open in shock as he backed away from the prostrated princess. His determination to end this spell was wavering quickly, and he needed to put some distance between them before he changed his mind.

"Stop that immediately. Get up, Sofia." He insisted, focusing on his spell book and not the girl taxing his resolve. She returned to her feet as told. "Follow me to your room, prepare yourself to leave the palace, and then return to me. We have to go to the charmacy to buy more agrimony." He chose his words carefully, not daring to tell Sofia what to do in the halls of the palace.

He gave in to the temptation to place his palm on the small of Sofia's back as he led her out of the tower. The door clicked shut behind them, and Cedric stopped to turn his key in the lock before returning it to the patinated gargoyle's false toe, the hiding spot only he and Sofia knew about. Then, they made their way down the stairs to the castle's lower corridors.

"Very interesting." A deep voice stated, waving a hand across his crystal ball to clear the image of the stone stairwell.

Minutes later, a thick, grey cloud of smoke cleared just outside of Cedric's tower, revealing a tall figure concealed beneath a deep blue cloak. The compartment popped open again as the mysterious sorcerer's fingers fumbled for the key. The tumbler clicked as he unlocked the door, returning the key to its home before entering Cedric's workshop.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Decided to post this chapter early, just because it introduces the real meat and bones of the story, bringing us to what was actually requested. As always, reviews are loved. Thanks for reading!

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Cedric and the spellbound princess reached Sofia's chambers miraculously unhindered, blissfully unaware that there was an intruder lurking within the tower. Cautiously checking up and down the exquisitely ornate halls to be sure they were truly alone in the long corridor, Cedric scooted close to Sofia, dropping his face down towards her pale, graceful neck and willing himself to ignore how heavenly the princess smelled. His long, thin fingers gently brushed her russet locks back so he could whisper directly into her ear.

"Go inside and make yourself look nice." He commanded, trying hard to keep his low voice free from any hints of arousal. She giggled as his breath tickled her sensitive flesh, then flashed him a dazzling smile before dashing obediently through the door to her bedroom.

Cedric closed his eyes and slouched against the cool, smooth papered wall of the hallway. Inwardly, he cursed himself for enjoying Sofia's predicament as much as he did. He prayed to whatever gods might listen that, when he finally reversed the spell, Sofia wouldn't remember anything that transpired while she was under the influence of the botched potion, especially the part where Wormwood called him out on his feelings for the princess.

Uncurling the fingers of his gloved right hand, he studied the bright pink amulet Sofia had handed him so willingly. He would give it back to her as soon as she was restored to normal again, he vowed to himself, but for now it was probably best that he hold onto it. When he had instructed her to give him the amulet of Avalor, he was merely indulging a morbid curiosity to test how deeply her potion-induced submission ran, but now he reasoned that taking temporary ownership of the valuable item had been the right choice. Her refusal to obey Wormwood really only proved that she wouldn't follow commands given by animals. There was still a fair chance that she would answer to other people besides him, and someone else might come up with the brilliant idea to ask for the amulet just as he had, be it intentionally or by accident. He didn't trust himself to behave well enough to avoid being cursed by the object, especially with the enchanted princess tempting him at every turn, so he parted his purple sorcerer's robe, stuffing the magical necklace into the pocket of his charcoal-coloured trousers.

Cedric stood there waiting impatiently for what seemed like an unbearable eternity. With a deep sigh, he began to pace the hall anxiously. He had long ago abandoned his desires to seize the throne, but with a potion that could make anyone do his bidding and the amulet of Avalor practically pulsating with magical power in his pocket, old desires were threatening to bubble to the surface. It would be ridiculously easy to overthrow King Roland now. With Sofia under his spell, he wouldn't even have to worry about harming or losing her in the process. Hell, he could command her to do it for him and she would be bound to obey. Then, when the spell finally broke she'd have no one to blame for her family's fate but herself. To call it intriguing would be the largest understatement ever made. He shook his head to chase away the thoughts. There was no doubt that he would lose the real Sofia forever if he took over. He would have to keep her under this spell, the princess's true self magically locked away indefinitely, just to have her close. If he involved her in any way, she would never forgive herself for her part in the coup. There was no scenario in which ascending to the throne would not harm Sofia, something he had discovered all those years back during the Medusa Stone fiasco, but occasionally had to remind himself in order to keep from regressing to the villain he once was.

Finally, the door to Sofia's room swung open. Cedric spun to face her, completely unprepared for the unimaginably provocative image that greeted him as his eyes fell upon the princess. She had pinned her curls loosely atop her head, luring his eyes toward her graceful, swan-like neck, and then her bare, creamy shoulders. Her long gown had a neckline that plunged deeply, showing off far more of her cleavage than he had ever expected to behold during his waking hours. The fabric was tight around her breasts, pushing them together to emphasise the effect, and giving them the appearance of trying to burst free from the gown. The skirt was just loose enough to flow as she walked, but much less formed than her usual gowns, clearly allowing no room for bloomers, hoops, or whatever other trappings society deemed necessary for young women these days. There were slits up the sides, revealing her shapely legs as she strode out into the corridor. The final nail in his coffin, though, was that the fabric of the two-toned dress was deep plum and black, perfectly matching his robes. This detail was particularly appealing, as it felt like the garment marked her as his.

Begrudgingly, he tore his greedy eyes away from her body, only to be equally astonished by her heavily made-up face. Her eyes were lined darkly, her lips reddened, and her cheeks rouged. The deep tones stood out in stark contrast to her naturally alabaster skin. This he found less appealing than her natural beauty, but not enough to damper his reaction.

"Whe... Where did you get that dress, Sofia?" He managed to choke out the question after gawking at his apprentice for far longer than was appropriate. With all the blood rushing rapidly towards his trousers, he marvelled at the fact that he could still stand upright, much less speak. Sofia bridged the gap between them and leaned in, their bodies nearly touching as she craned her neck and gazed seductively upon his face.

"Amber asked Madame Collette to make it for me to wear during magic shows, but I was far too modest. Does it please you, Cedric?" Her alluring voice was nearly a purr as she spoke, and all Cedric could do was let out a low whimper and nod stiffly, reminding himself that he was absolutely not going to take advantage of Sofia's altered state, even if his reasons for abstaining were more selfish than chivalrous. _I suppose that explains the matching colours, then._ He managed to think before his mind devolved into fantasies of pushing her back into her chambers and divesting her of the garment.

"Gods, the things I could do to you right now..." He breathed before he even realised he was speaking out loud. His cheeks burned hot but mercifully Sofia gave no response. "Okay, we must get to the village." He informed her. _The sooner the better._ He added to himself. With Sofia dressed so unusually, Cedric had the added challenge of getting them outside without being spotted to avoid any uncomfortable questions from her family or wayward servants. He had to pull her back into an alcove or side corridor to avoid running into passersby twice, but eventually they succeeded in leaving the castle, hurrying down the stairs and across the expansive stretch of land that comprised the castle grounds. From there, they walked across the great bridge that connected the royal palace to the thriving village of Dunwiddie.

Cedric spared no time in leading them to the charmacy, already quite familiar with the quickest route. As they approached the stone building, the door opened and a hooded figure rushed from the shop, nearly colliding with Sofia, but Cedric paid the person little mind, too fixated on his mission to take notice of much else. He swung the door open and tugged the princess inside with him. The small, golden bell over the door rang out to signal their arrival, but no one greeted them.

"Help me find the agrimony." He told Sofia, who quickly set about the task. The two of them scoured the store, looking high and low for their target, but it was nowhere to be found. Abandoning his near frantic search, Cedric called out to Sofia as he walked to the counter.

"We'll have to ask if there's any in the back, come over here." He stated loudly enough for her to hear him across the distance of the shop. He waited for the shopkeeper to appear and attend to them, drumming his fingers impatiently on the polished wooden counter. After a minute or two, he rang the bell on the counter. "Where the devil could they be?" Cedric grumbled. Sofia gave no response, simply standing next to him, presumably awaiting his next command. Cedric scowled at her abnormal silence. "I rather prefer it when you refuse to shut up." He snapped, annoyed that the woman next to him looked so much like the princess he loved, without possessing a single ounce of the personality that drew him to her so strongly. "Why did you have to taste that potion?" He demanded, thinking out loud to pass the time.

"To irk you, of course." She replied simply, as though she were merely talking about the weather. Cedric was about to retort, but deemed it pointless. This shell of Sofia wasn't worth arguing with. He had already grown weary of her company. When several more minutes had passed, he curled his fist, slamming it down on the bell repeatedly.

"Where. The. Bloody. Hell. Are. You?" He growled out in frustration, timing his words to the chimes. A groan sounded from the back room, and Cedric gave a sigh of relief. "It's about time!" He huffed, watching a gnarled hand curl around the frame of the door that separated shopfront from residence.

As the owner's face emerged from the shadows, Cedric realised something was very wrong. The woman's pupils were wide and her iris clouded, much like Sofia's, only the band of colour that was visible was so light blue-grey that it was very nearly white. Her mouth hung slack, emitting low, guttural sounds. Her skin was pasty, and she more shambled towards them than walked. Subconsciously, Cedric placed a protective arm in front of Sofia, forcing her backwards a step to put distance between her and the shopkeeper.

"Excuse me, we want to purchase some agrimony." He tried, though he was already quite certain that the unearthly creature before him was incapable of responding. She reached the counter, but tried in earnest to continue towards them, gnashing her teeth at Cedric.

"Sofia, run!" He commanded, turning tail and hurrying from the shop behind the princess. He didn't bother to wonder what was wrong with the woman behind the counter, his sole purpose in that dreadful moment was getting the princess out of the shop safely.

Sofia burst through the door and he followed closely on her heels, only stopping to catch his breath once they were safely outside. As he watched Sofia speed away, it dawned on him that she would continue to do so until he gave her new directions.

"Shit." He cursed as he bolted off after her. Sofia had the twin advantages of youth and athleticism on her side, and he found it increasingly strenuous to keep her back in view, let alone close the gap. He watched in abject horror as a villager who looked similarly ghastly made a grab for the princess, but she proved too fast for him.

As he raced to catch up, he caught flashes of the madness that had overtaken the village in the short time since they entered the charmacy. A man whose manner of dress suggested he was the town blacksmith was hunched down in the middle of the road, vomit spilling from his mouth, forcing Cedric to swerve hard to avoid him. People were rushing inside of any available building, slamming and locking their doors and peering out through the windows. A scream drew his attention, and he craned his neck just in time to see an elderly man tearing apart a blond woman who had stopped to assist him. After that disturbing scene, he kept his eyes pinned on Sofia, now grateful that the woman would not halt for anything short of his explicit instructions to do so.

"Get to the castle as fast as you can!" He shouted when he closed in enough for his voice to carry to her. Producing his wand, he proceeded to freeze anyone who came too near Sofia, not bothering to discern the unaffected from those that were. As he followed her across the bridge, he watched the large gates that would grant them access to the palace begin to swing shut.

"Merlin's Mushrooms! They're securing the palace." He shouted ahead of him. It was obvious that despite her superior speed, Sofia would not clear the gates in time. "Sofia, stop!" He cried out, but his words were too late. The princess ran headlong into the barrier, the force of the impact knocking her down onto the stone bridge with a thud. Cedric raced to her side, anxious to check her for injuries.

"Don't move." He spoke without thinking, and the princess went deathly still in his arms. Other than still being under his spell, Sofia seemed alright, so Cedric shifted his focus to the problem of getting her to the safety of the palace.

Gathering her up in one arm, he used the other to wave his wand, intending to transport them to his tower. There was no smoke, and they remained on the bridge, their presence seeming to draw attention from the villagers, some of which were now gaining on them, albeit incredibly slowly. He tried twice more, once for the royal gardens, and once for the hallway outside of Sofia's room, but failed to produce results with either spell.

Rapidly running out of options, he tried again, this time focusing on Hexley Hall. Lime green smoke surrounded them, and soon they were within the expansive main hall of the school.


	3. Chapter 3

Cedric collapsed to the burgundy rug in the middle of the great hall, exhausted and incredibly thankful to finally be able to rest. It took nearly all of his remaining strength and will to avoid landing atop the still rigid princess, instead coming to rest beside her in a sweaty, panting heap. He was only vaguely aware of the swirl of blue and grey smoke forming in front of him.

"My goodness, what do we have here?" The white-bearded sorcerer marvelled, peering at them from under his bushy eyebrows.

"Master Merlin! Thank the gods!" Cedric forced the words out through ragged gasps for air.

"Yes, yes. At your service, Cedric. Now, do you care to tell me why my two favourite alumni are lying in a heap on the floor, or do you expect me to guess?" He studied the younger sorcerer closely as he spoke, his voice remaining jovial despite the fact that the state they were in was mildly alarming, to say the least.

"First, I need to borrow the potions classroom. Then I'll explain everything." Cedric promised, forcing himself back to his feet with a groan. Whatever was going wrong in Dunwiddie, Sofia was still his priority. Her restoration would be even more vital if their magic was called upon to right the situation in Sofia's home village.

"Of course. Come along, you know the way." Merlin answered, gesturing them toward the enchanted stairwell as he took the first step up.

"Sofia, get up and follow us." Cedric hissed at the princess.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Merlin asked, glancing over his shoulder at the pair.

"No, not a thing." Cedric lied, joining the old sorcerer on the stairs. After reaching the top, the men followed a large hallway to the potions classroom, Sofia diligently tagging along behind him.

Once inside, Cedric began listing off the ingredients he needed, thankful to find the school had all of them in stock. He used his wand to stoke the fire beneath the gigantic black cauldron in the centre of the room before carefully measuring out the first herbs to go in.

"So, you're still headmaster, I take it?" He asked Merlin, surprised to find the man still working for the school after all this time.

"Yes, turns out 'temporary' is a relative term around here. Though, I've heard there may be some much needed staff changes soon." At this, Merlin turned to beam proudly at his former student, her only response coming in the form of a distant stare and disturbing silence.

"Yes, well, if I can fix her, first." Cedric grumbled, taking note of the concern plastered on his idol's face.

"What in the old gods' names did you do to her?" Merlin asked, scurrying across the room to wave his hand in front of her vacant eyes.

"I didn't. She decided tasting a spoilt potion would be a great way to have a laugh at my expense." Cedric grumbled, throwing a handful of crumbled sage into the brew. "A potion she ruined in the first place, I might add." He stated pointedly, pausing his work to throw an annoyed stare at Sofia. Merlin chuckled in amusement.

"She still has a talent for getting herself into trouble, I see." He mused, shaking his head from side to side. Cedric agreed quietly, stirring the potion anticlockwise three times before adding the agrimony. "It'll take quite the man to keep up with her once she finally settles down." Merlin continued, strolling over to Cedric and patting him on the shoulder.

"The man who could 'keep up' with Princess Sofia hasn't been born. And I doubt such a man ever will be. Besides, avoiding marriage is one of her many reasons for taking the exams." Cedric retorted, throwing in the last ingredient and stirring once more before taking a seat at one of the several desks in the room.

"Avoiding a royal marriage, to be precise. That doesn't mean a wedding is nowhere in her future." Merlin said as he joined Cedric, sitting in the next chair to his left.

"Might as well bury the unfortunate bastard now, because Sofia would be the death of him, anyway." Cedric replied, trying not to think too hard on the prospect of Sofia's future groom. Putting an end to all that marriage nonsense was one of the main reasons he was so relieved by her decision, as well.

The potion needed to boil for an hour, giving Cedric ample time to explain the chaos that was enveloping Dunwiddie as they left. Merlin stroked his beard thoughtfully after Cedric finished speaking.

"I've never heard anything like it. And you've no idea how it started?" His stunned question made Cedric frown in consideration before shaking his head, still mystified by the events he had witnessed.

"No. But to make matters worse, the palace is on lock down, no one in or out, even by magical means." He griped, cursing himself internally. It was his own spell, one that would prevent transportation anywhere onto the palace grounds should trouble arise. It seemed like a brilliant idea when he cast it years ago, but now it had backfired stupendously.

"Well, that is a conundrum. At least Sofia's family is safe. There's tons of protective magic at work here in Hexley Hall, and we're a decent distance from Dunwiddie, so we should be alright as well." Merlin explained before stopping to ponder the situation some more. The hourglass emptied, and the sorcerers approached the cauldron.

"There, now all that's left to do is get her to drink the potion." Merlin said in his most reassuring tone, dipping a spoon in the pot and raising it to Sofia's lips.

"Wait!" Cedric called out. He retrieved the amulet of Avalor from the pocket of his dark trousers, placing it against Sofia's neck. Brushing her thick hair out of the way, he fumbled with the clasp until it was secured once again. Merlin gave him a quizzical look, and Cedric shrugged.

"I couldn't be sure she would only obey me, and I was afraid someone else might take advantage of the situation." He explained, taking the spoon from Merlin and raising it to the princess' delicate lips.

"Drink this, Sofia." He ordered her, and she smiled sweetly at him before parting her lips to allow the spoon passage between them. Cedric watched the haze disappear from her eyes as her pupils gradually shrank back to their usual proportions. "Are you back?" He asked her hesitantly. In response, she stood on her tiptoes and threw her arms around his neck. He suddenly became aware of warm, soft lips against his cheek as she gave him an enormous kiss. Pushing her away before he could get any salacious ideas from the gesture, he scowled down at her in consternation. "Finnigan's fungus, child! Why would you go and do a thing like that?" He spat out, pointedly wiping his cheek with the sleeve of his robe, sure that there was now a stain on his face from her painted ruby lips.

"A little birdie told me you might enjoy it." She teased, giggling at her own joke. _Merlin's Mushrooms, she does remember!_ Cedric balked, letting out a miserable groan.

"You must never heed the advice of an evil raven." He scolded, stepping backwards to gain some much needed distance from the princess.

"Master Merlin!" She exclaimed, rushing to throw her arms around the old headmaster. He chuckled lightly and patted her back.

"Good to have you with us, little princess." He cooed at her, stepping backwards and taking her hands in his. "Let me have a look at you. My, you've grown lovely!" A quick glance over her head at Cedric only served to annoy her Master Sorcerer further. He crossed his arms and sulked. _As if I needed a reminder._ He retorted in his head, having the good sense not to say anything of the sort out loud.

"Thank you, Master Merlin. Is Calista about?" She asked him, anxious to see Cedric's niece. Sofia didn't get as much opportunity to spend time with her since she had graduated a year ahead of the younger girl.

"Now that you mention it, she came in this morning to study for her senior exams. I do believe she's in the library. You should go find her and give us old men a chance to chat." He answered her cheerfully, sincerely glad to see Sofia back to her usual self.

"Actually, the library might be a good place to start researching." Cedric interjected, busy cleaning up the mess he made so he could go with the princess. Merlin nodded thoughtfully, and Sofia glanced between the two of them.

"Do you mean about the woman in the store, and the villagers who were acting so strangely?" She asked, her voice nearly a squeak at the creepy memory.

"That's precisely what I mean." He answered, following Sofia through the classroom door, Merlin bringing up the rear behind him. They travelled the corridors until they came to the library, where Merlin mercifully dismissed the Shusher so they would be able to speak uninterrupted.

Sofia spotted Calista at one of the back tables, so engrossed in her studies that she hadn't yet noticed them. She placed a slender finger to her plump lips, signalling to her companions to stay quiet. Selecting a far aisle, she tiptoed over to the table, sneaking up behind the younger girl. Habitually reaching for a wand that wasn't there, she frowned for a second before concocting her back up plan. Carefully stretching her hands out, she grabbed Calista around the waist and began to tickle her, eliciting great peals of laughter from her friend.

"Auntie Fia!" Calista managed to shriek out in between bouts of cracking up from Sofia's relentless attack. Cedric winced at the nickname, fully aware that it was at his expense.

A few years ago, while the two were students together, Calista had bestowed the title upon Sofia, stating she was like the wife he refused to have, since she spent all of her time in his tower. Sofia was oddly thrilled with it, but to Cedric it was despicable. It didn't help matters that his niece decided this would be funny right around the same time he started to notice Sofia's growing body, though he remained in denial about it until her graduation ceremony, as if his brain believed that her being out of school somehow excused him lusting after a princess less than half his age. To add to the insult, his whole family basically adopted this pretence, his parents insisting she call them mom and dad, as well. Everyone but Cedric thought the whole charade was hilarious.

"Lissy!" Sofia's voice yanked him back to the present. The two girls were on the floor now, as Calista had apparently fallen from her chair while he was lost in thought. As he headed in their direction, he saw that they were wrapped up in a tight embrace, each practically squeezing the life out of the other. He made a mental note to take Sofia to visit more often before clearing his throat to draw their attention.

The girls scrambled to their feet, stifling giggles, and flashing matching contrite smiles to both Cedric and Merlin as they smoothed their dresses. Cedric rolled his eyes, and he and Merlin set about looking up curses and hexes, hoping to find one that was a good match for what Cedric had witnessed in Dunwiddie. Sofia and Calista sat back at the table and whispered to avoid distracting the older members of the group.

"So, what are you two doing here?" Calista asked, nudging Sofia in the ribs when she busted the older girl staring dreamily at Cedric. Sofia turned bright red and tried to focus on the topic, but her mind kept drifting back to what Wormwood said earlier, and the way Cedric reacted to her in the hallway outside her bedroom. Shaking her head, she forced herself to face her friend again.

"Mr Ceedric messed up a potion, and I had to do everything he said. We came here so he could undo it." She summarised. Cedric lifted his head so he could peer over the top of a book and quirked an eyebrow at the princess, able to hear her gossip from his nearby perch on a rung of the magical ladder.

"Who 'messed up' the potion, child?" He asked, catching Sofia off-guard. She worried her lip, and he made it a point to go back to his reading rather than focus on the innocently alluring action.

"I _maay_ have had a teensy hand in spoiling it." She confessed to Calista, pinching her fingers together to demonstrate how small she claimed her roll to be. Merlin brought over some books for Sofia to go through, clearly expecting her to help with the research.

"Why come here? Why not just brew the counter potion in Uncle Ceddy's workshop?" Calista was bubbling over with questions, some of which she kept to herself now that she knew her uncle could hear them.

"That's where things get weird." Sofia stated quietly, then proceeded to fill her friend in on the events that led them to the library.

"Wait, your father said yes?" Calista asked excitedly when Sofia was done with her tale. Sofia bobbed her head, and the girls let out a loud squeal and hugged again. Cedric's head snapped up once more.

"Seriously? Villagers are attacking each other in the streets, the palace is in locked down, and _that's_ your takeaway?" He questioned in disbelief, shaking his head at the girls.

"Well, it is really big news." Calista defended herself, shooting Sofia another excited grin. Now that she knew about the villagers, she took some books out of Sofia's stack and began to leaf through them, too, catching Sofia up on all the interesting things that had occurred at Hexley Hall since the princess's graduation while she skimmed the pages.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Long chapter this time, hopefully no one minds. Loving the reviews so far, thank you.

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"This is getting us nowhere." Sofia whinged, discarding yet another book onto the table with a thud. She leaned back, tipping her chair up on its hind legs. Cedric knew he should say something to her, but he actually had to agree. Several hours had passed, and they were no closer to solving the mystery than they had been when they arrived.

He eyed the growing stack of irrelevant tomes warily, wondering if there wasn't something they were missing. From her spot at the table, Calista mumbled in her sleep, her face resting against the book she had been reading. Merlin was back to searching for more volumes that might be of help, though their connections to the topic at hand were growing more tenuous with each new batch, having exhausted the most applicable materials early on in their quest. Cedric was forming an idea, but he didn't like it. He steeled himself, and stood from the ladder rung.

"Right. Clearly we just don't know enough about this, yet. Master Merlin, would you accompany me back to Dunwiddie?" Cedric spoke, pointedly ignoring the rankled expression on Sofia's face. He had known before he said anything that she would demand to return with him, but he was determined not to give in.

"Of course. I think some field research might be the very thing for this." Merlin nodded, placing the new stack of books on the table in front of Sofia.

"And what are we expected to do while you're out there? Sit here and do nothing? Perhaps we should have a tea party!" Sofia's riposted his suggestion.

"Perhaps you should." Cedric replied coolly, using his wand to conjure a tea set next to the stack of books. Sofia let out an indignant snort, setting her chair back on all four legs and scooting it quickly away from the table. She closed the distance between herself and Cedric, standing as tall as she could to glare into his eyes.

"You are my Master. We're bound to each other. It is literally my duty to assist you." She stated firmly, her features set in stubborn determination.

"Don't invoke the Code with me, child! It is my duty to protect you, as both your Master and your Royal Sorcerer. The situation is too dangerous. You are staying here, and that's final." He crossed his arms, his body language daring her to defy him further.

"I am not some spoilt, pampered, damsel-in-distress. You know that better than anyone. I refuse to sit idly by while you-" She didn't get to finish her sentence before a green puff of smoke appeared in Cedric's stead. She reached inside blindly, hoping to grab onto any part of him so she would go, too, but it was too late.

"Master Merlin!" Sofia demanded the older sorcerer's attention. He chewed his lip thoughtfully.

"I'm afraid the Code is on both of your sides, little princess. You must do as he says." He gave an apologetic smile and shrugged, leaving an infuriated Sofia to watch as he transported himself to the village, too.

Returning to the table, she began to shake Calista by the shoulders, rousing the younger girl from her sleep.

"Fia? What are you doing?" Calista asked in bewilderment as she attempted to blink the sleep from her eyes.

"We're going to find a wand." Sofia informed her, marching off before Calista had a chance to question her.

Cedric and Merlin materialised in the middle of Dunwiddie, the town eerily quiet as they wordlessly examined the streets. The residents that weren't affected by whatever was happening were holed up anywhere they could find, no longer staring out the windows. Cedric stood in the centre of the deserted cobblestone road, collecting his thoughts. He had wanted to kiss Sofia, to claim her mouth passionately, to silence her angry words with his tongue. It would have been the perfect fantasy, like a hero kissing their maiden before riding headlong into certain danger. He had no choice but to transport himself immediately to keep his urges in check.

He forced himself back to the present reality of Dunwiddie, taking several breaths while he willed his hands to stop shaking from the intensity of the scene he had just left. The place had undergone quite a transformation in the hours since Cedric had seen it last, and the differences gave him chills. As they passed an alleyway, Merlin spotted a villager from behind. A woman, according to her long, dark hair and simple dress. She was crouched down on the ground, emitting occasional low groans. Nodding in her direction to catch Cedric's attention, Merlin took a cautious step toward her.

"Hello. Are you in need of assistance?" The older sorcerer called out, taking another step.

The woman gradually turned to face them, eliciting a horrified gasp from both men. She was missing a large chunk of flesh on her right shoulder, the wound so deep that they could see the exposed layer of muscle that lay beneath. Her skin was so pale that it bordered on grey, and her face was covered with a mixture of dried and fresh blood. As she stumbled slowly to her feet, a task that appeared to give her great difficulty, she afforded them a view behind her. A second villager, a white-haired old man, was sprawled out on the ground, similarly covered in gore. The woman began to shamble towards them, dragging her left foot behind her as she moved.

"Are you alright, Ma'am?" Merlin tried again, shaking off the hand Cedric placed on his arm. Cedric could see the woman's eyes now, near-white, just like the shopkeeper.

"She's like the others. Merlin, we must go. Now!" Cedric tried to explain quickly, tugging on his idol's long blue robes.

Merlin held up a hand to silence him, clearly still not grasping that the woman was unable to answer his questions. Cedric glanced back and forth between the approaching figure and the sorcerer, getting desperate to put distance between the two. He pulled out his wand, ready to freeze her, when suddenly everything stopped.

There was no breeze, the trees held perfectly still, the birds within them silent. Merlin, his hand still raised, didn't move or even seem to breath. The woman loomed roughly two meters away from him, mouth held in a snarl. A hand grasped his own, and he was more surprised than he probably should have been to find his apprentice standing beside him, wand in hand, her dress now covered with a black sorceress robe. While he began to piece together an understanding of what had just happened, he pulled his hand away from Sofia's grip and turned to face her.

"How did you get here?" He growled, his eyes narrowing at the disobedient young woman as he asked the first of many questions racing through his mind.

"I spent eight years in Hexley Hall, Mr Cedric. Did you honestly believe I don't know where the wands are kept?" Came her overly casual reply. She shifted her posture, moving her empty hand to her hip.

"You didn't do this with a training wand. It's impossible." As he spoke, he gestured at Merlin, still standing completely still.

"I made a quick stop." She answered, nodding her head in the direction of the charmacy.

"You went in there alone, knowing what happened earlier?" He could feel his blood beginning to boil. She had defied him by leaving Hexley Hall, stolen a training wand, then endangered herself to obtain a real wand. Of all the many times she refused to listen to him, this was by far the most reckless, dangerous thing she had ever done. _Don't you understand what it would do to me if anything happened to you?_ He wanted to scream the words, but he swallowed them instead.

"You didn't learn this spell at Hexley Hall. Wher-" He stopped, noticing the way she was now avoiding his gaze, her cheeks flaming as she chewed her bottom lip nervously. She was forth coming about all the other details and yet this question had visibly unnerved her. Completely unwilling to drop the subject, he gripped her chin and forced her to face him. "Where did you learn the spell, Sofia?" He demanded, watching as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut to avoid seeing his reaction. She was moving her lips, but no sound came out. Cedric's eyes flared as he glowered down at her. "Speak up, child! I will only be angrier if you refuse to answer." As he waited for a reply, he found himself wishing he hadn't reversed the potion. It would be so easy to command her to tell him.

If time were moving as it should, several minutes might have passed. He felt her chin quiver against his hand, and his resolve wavered. Sofia had never been afraid of him before, even when they were at odds in her childhood, and the sight of this shaking girl in front of him cut him to his core. Studying her face, he was again filled with a desire to claim her lips, kissing her full and deeply, to erase the fear from her features and convey how he truly felt. Instead, he bent down and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, intending to show her that no matter what she was hiding, she was still his apprentice and he would always care greatly for her.

"We'll talk about it later. When we're both calm." He spoke as soothingly as he could, his voice nearly a whisper. She opened her eyes again, those twin jewels captivating him as they shone, full of so much emotion.

He allowed the embrace that followed, secretly welcoming it, even if it did make his heart race beneath his robes. They'd both been through so much today, and now was obviously not the time to press her further. He almost missed the sound of her words as she spoke, her face still buried in his robes. Stepping back, he tucked his fingers under her chin and lifted it much more gently this time.

"Did you really expect me to hear that?" He questioned softly. She shook her head and gave a nervous giggle.

"I said 'I did save Master Merlin'." She repeated with a sly grin, returning to her usual irritatingly charming self.

"Yes. I suppose you did." He muttered his concession. His eyes widened as he realised something he should have thought of much earlier.

"You do know how to undo this spell, don't you?" He asked her hopefully.

She gave a full laugh this time, nodding against him as she wrapped her arms around him again. Cedric held her against himself for a moment, or maybe minutes longer than that. It was actually rather difficult to tell with time frozen. Cedric suppressed a disappointed sigh as he forced himself away from her, ignoring the temptation to stay like that for as long as she would allow him. He produced his wand and turned back towards Merlin.

"We'll have to deal with the woman first, or he'll be done for." He explained, trying to decide the best way to go about doing exactly that.

"Let's float her into the charmacy, get Lissy out, and then reverse the spell." Sofia suggested. It was a decent plan, but it wasn't the competence of the idea that leaped out at Cedric.

"You dragged Calista into this mess, too?" He demanded incredulously. Sofia looked down at her feet, appearing unusually apologetic.

"I tried to leave her, but she refused. She said she wasn't going to 'let Uncle Ceddy have all the fun'." Sofia confided. Cedric let out a breath.

"You're a bad influence on her." He shot, though his tone held a slight teasing quality that eased Sofia enough to lift her gaze and flash him an apologetic smile. "What if the spell hadn't worked? Merlin and Calista would both be in danger." He admonished her for her carelessness. Another sheepish expression overtook Sofia's features.

"I, um, knew it would work. The only uncertainty was if I could bring you out of stasis without disrupting the spell completely." Cedric gawked at her unspoken confession as she uttered these words.

"You knew it would... You mean to tell me you've cast this spell before?" He interrogated her, watching closely as she nodded slowly, clasping her hands nervously in front of herself. Cedric took several deep breaths to calm himself.

"Alright... alright, we'll discuss that later, as well." He stated, adding it to the growing list of things he needed to speak with her about.

They quickly set about carrying out Sofia's plan, Cedric floating the white-eyed villager to the charmacy while his apprentice retrieved his niece and positioned her near to Merlin. Standing beside Cedric, Sofia stretched out her hand for him to grasp. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arm around hers and wove their fingers together. The cool breeze flowed through Sofia's russet curls, Cedric's first indication that the counter magic had worked. Merlin spun in confusion, looking Calista over before turning to find Cedric and Sofia, fingers still locked tightly together.

"Not a single one of you is a licensed chronomage. Who cast that spell?" Merlin demanded, his gaze fixed squarely on Sofia as he spoke. Having a large amount of experience with time magic himself, he knew right away what had transpired. Sofia stared at her feet, knowing that there were major consequences for tampering with time.

"I'll take responsibility." Cedric stated loudly, tilting his chin up and doing his best to appear calm.

"Cedric? I'm surprised at you." Merlin admonished him, shaking his head in disbelief. He would have expected a stunt like this from one of the girls, but not from an experienced sorcerer.

"The spell saved your life, Master Merlin. That woman would have torn you apart." Sofia chimed in, placing her free hand on Cedric's shoulder to silently express her gratitude. He returned the gesture with a slight smile and an almost imperceptible tip of his head.

Before the conversation could continue any further, the old man behind Merlin let out a loud moan and struggled to his feet, advancing slowly towards Merlin and Calista. Sofia raised her wand, but with a flick of Cedric's wrist, it transferred to his hand. Tuning out his apprentice's complaints, Cedric used her wand to freeze the old man. While Merlin stepped forward to examine the villager, a black bird flying from the direction of the castle distracted Cedric and Sofia, and they both greeted the raven with relief.

"Wormy, you're alright." Cedric exclaimed, offering his arm out for the bird to perch on.

"I am, but the whole palace is up in arms. Everyone's panicking about a certain missing princess." Wormwood told him, eyeing Sofia in annoyance as he spoke.

"Tell them I'm alright, and that I'll see them soon." Sofia requested, stroking Wormwood's ebony plumage.

"Do I look like a messenger pigeon to you?" Wormwood huffed, ruffling his feathers in distaste.

"Just do it, Wormy. Meet us at Hexley Hall when you're finished, and you can spend as much time as you like in the conjurteria." Cedric flashed a knowing grin at his familiar before the bird flew off to return to the palace.

"What do we do, now?" Sofia asked Cedric quietly, glancing quickly back at the rest of the group. Cedric examined the robed girl carefully, then handed her wand back to her.

"Since you girls insist on trying to get yourselves into trouble, I suppose we keep going." He answered with a sigh. Clearly, if he sent them back to Hexley Hall, they would just come back, possibly somewhere he couldn't keep an eye on them, which would be worse. Sofia grinned triumphantly at him.

"You won't regret it!" She chirped out, throwing her arms around him again. Cedric wrestled away from her embrace and stepped back.

"No more time magic, Sofia." Cedric hissed quietly, staring her down in case she might try to argue. To his surprise Sofia shook her head.

"I couldn't possibly do it again right away. It takes far too much magic." Sofia explained, her words causing Cedric to finally notice how worn down she looked from casting the spell the first time. _How did I not see it before?_ He kicked himself internally for his negligence and debated going back after all.

"Let's split up, search the rest of the village." Merlin called over, as if sensing Cedric's inner conflict.

"Is it really a good idea to separate?" Calista questioned incredulously, her eyes wide at the prospect.

"We have magic, it should be fine." Sofia shot back towards her. With nothing else to say, they parted ways, Cedric and Sofia heading north and Merlin and Calista taking the southern side.

"Maybe we won't find anything else..." Sofia ventured as they checked down their fifth side street. Cedric nodded thoughtfully.

"I froze a lot of them while we were running to the castle, it could be the two in the shop and the old man were all that were left." He explained. Walking ahead of her, he saw the horrific scene in the dead-end road before she could. At least a dozen mutilated villagers were spread out on the ground, some stacked on top of each other. "Sofia, close your eyes." Cedric demanded, stepping back to take her hand. He guided her down the alley, stepping over bodies and directing her to do the same.

"How bad is it?" Sofia asked quietly, willing to be led if it meant avoiding the sight of more injured. Cedric didn't answer for a minute, pausing instead to inspect a young woman, no doubt around the same age as his own companion. _Does she know this one?_ He wondered, recalling that Sofia was still friendly with some of the residents.

"What happened here?" Cedric pondered out loud, shaking his head at the carnage spread before his feet. "There's no connecting alleys, Sofia. We should head back to the main road." Cedric informed his apprentice after inspecting the street. A rustling behind them caused both magic users to swivel, and Sofia let out a sharp gasp.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Apologies for this chapter being slightly shorter than the others, but there was really nothing else to add. Glad everyone seems to be enjoying this story so far. I was struggling with some story elements, hence the long break, but after some brainstorming I seem to have worked past all that. As always, reviews are absolutely loved!

* * *

From the edge of his vision, Cedric had seen the way Sofia's balance faltered as she spun, no doubt completely depleted from her earlier use of that incredibly difficult spell, not to mention transportation and floating his niece clear across the village. In front of them, several of the bodies, for that's what Cedric was beginning to recognise them as - no longer living, breathing residents of the village, but threats to the safety of those he cared most about, were slowly rising to their feet, eyes shockingly void of colour, pallid skin, and gruesome wounds everywhere the eye could see. With no other exit, he realised that they would have to fight their way back to the main street, something his apprentice appeared to be severely incapable of at the moment.

"Do you think you could manage a barrier spell?" Cedric asked, keeping his eyes forward as the first few began to slowly close the gap.

"We'll be trapped." Sofia pointed out, readying her wand while trying to still the tremor in her hand.

"We let them filter through one at a time. You hold the wall, and I'll freeze them." He knew it was risky. If Sofia faltered, even for a moment, they'd both be lost. Seeing no other alternative, he chanced a quick glance in the young woman's direction, and she nodded firmly.

"Obice exponentia." Sofia just barely managed, using almost all she had left inside to create an invisible wall.

Her aim was true, and with the exception of one painfully recognisable woman, the others began striking against the magical shield, piling up in such a way that Sofia could feel the pressure of their combined strength. She averted her eyes as Cedric froze the young woman she often bought pastries and breads from, guilt washing over her for the way she thanked the gods that it wasn't someone she knew better. Staring intently at the wall of villagers behind the baker's daughter, she watched the next one, an older gentleman, find the gap and stumble through.

"Keep it up, Sofia. I just need that spell to hold until there's only a couple left." Cedric reminded her, earning a weak nod from his exhausted apprentice.

Another frozen, and the next eager to take its place. Sofia began to count the mess of tangled limbs in her mind, but every time she thought she knew how many were left, there seemed to be more.

"They're still coming from somewhere." She gasped, mentally pushing hard against the barrier to keep it strong.

"Nothing to be done for it." Cedric muttered, claiming another small victory. Despite the cloudless sky, lightning struck from somewhere above them, and it was all Sofia could do to maintain her concentration.

"Don't hurt them." She insisted, but a quick peek at Cedric told her he was as surprised by this development as she was. Another head count, and the tally was now eight. Just eight more, and they could walk out of here miraculously unharmed. Her head was swimming as exhaustion mixed with near giddiness at the prospect of being back safely inside the school with her friends.

The battle was becoming a blur, and darkness clouded the edges of Sofia's vision as she noted that there were now five outside her barrier. "Cedric..." She panted out, losing her grip on the spell just enough to allow two to slip through at once. She was vaguely aware of the profanity that escaped her mentor's mouth as she dropped to her knees, now barely able to hold the wall that separated them from the three men on the other side. Her eyes slipped closed at roughly the same time as she hit the ground.

Cedric's eyes widened as the remaining villagers shambled forward, and he shifted himself into position between the attackers and Sofia. His own strength was beginning to wear thin, but he planted his feet firmly on the cobblestone below and continued his mission. It was his duty to protect her, by the Code, because of his position, but most importantly because she would do the same for him without so much as a second thought, even if it meant risking her own life in the process.

A woman flew a broom overhead, shooting bolts of lightning at the remaining two villagers before landing silently behind Cedric. He turned his attention away from the chaos of battle and his fallen apprentice to examine the witch closely, hoping against hope that she was friend and not foe. She was tall, nearly as tall as himself, with long dark hair tied into pigtails that hung down from beneath her eggplant-coloured witch hat. She couldn't have been much older than Sofia, a year or two at most.

"Sofia!" The girl called out, dismounting the broom and dropping it to the ground unceremoniously before running over to them. "Is she-?" Her sentence choked off as she covered her mouth, turning tear-rimmed eyes toward the sorcerer.

"She expended far too much magic. Though I dare say we'd both be goners if you hadn't flown over when you did." Cedric answered her gratefully.

"I'm Lucinda, Sofia and I have been friends since we were kids." The witch introduced herself, and Cedric gave her a slight nod.

"Cedric." He stated simply. She grinned widely at him, no doubt recognising his name from time spent with Sofia.

"The Sensational." She finished for him, but he scowled at the moniker.

"Not at the moment, no. I haven't the faintest idea what's going on, and I've nearly got my best friend killed at least twice today." Cedric mumbled. The witch regarded him quietly as he focused his attention on Sofia once again.

"I was trying to find two of my other friends. We were separated." She informed him, crouching down and taking one of Sofia's hands between her own. "I don't suppose you've seen any more witches in town?"

"No. Have you seen anyone else? We were with my niece Calista-" a spark of recognition brightened the witch's green eyes, but she stayed quiet and let him finish. "and Master Merlin."

"You're the first people I've seen since I lost track of Lily and Indy, unless of course you count... whatever those things are." She told him, gesturing toward the frozen villagers. "Put her on my broom, I'll fly her back to the palace. I'm headed in that direction, anyway." She offered, gesturing toward the discarded broomstick. Cedric shook his head.

"The palace is under magical protection, nobody in or out." He explained with a frown. The woman furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Not even the Royal Sorcerer?" She questioned.

"Especially not me." He spat, shooting a pained look at his unconscious friend. The witch opened her mouth to say something else, but seemed to decide against it. "We'll be heading back to Hexley Hall as soon as I find the others. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like." He extended the invitation, reasoning that Sofia would be rather annoyed if he didn't at least suggest her friend came back to the school with them.

"That's also under protection spells, I'd imagine?" She asked, and Cedric nodded an affirmative, collecting Sofia up in his arms and struggling to his feet. "I might just do that, once I find my friends." Lucinda reclaimed her broom and readied herself to take off.

"Wait, could you do us just one more favour?" Cedric asked her, shifting his weight to carry Sofia more comfortably. "Could you conjure some fireworks?" She shot him a questioning gaze, which soon melted into understanding, before taking to the sky again, leaving a trail of bright, booming lights littering the sky above the pair.

Just moments later, as Cedric had intended, the familiar transportation clouds of Merlin and Calista appeared in the alleyway, followed shortly by the magic users, themselves.

* * *

"No, no, no, NO!" The hooded sorcerer ducked as his female companion, cloaked in her own deep purple robe, hurled a beaker through the air above his crystal ball, sending it to shatter against a mirror on the opposite wall.

"Could you maybe not destroy my lab for once?" He uttered with annoyance as he waved his hand over the orb on the table in front of him, dispelling the image of Cedric and Sofia.

"You-" She turned her attention to him, narrowing her indigo eyes in contempt. "You promised that this, this... ridiculous plot of yours would work." She hissed out, advancing menacingly in his direction.

"I did, and it will, dearest." The man replied, conjuring a scroll and a quill and hastily jotting something down. "I just need to adjust the formula. Cedric has become much stronger than he used to be, and I certainly never counted on that little whelp being so adept. Besides, we know where they're hiding out now." With a wide, fiendish grin, he conjured up a new image in his crystal ball. The dark, imposing structure of Hexley Hall and its surrounding grounds.

"They have Merlin with them, and if those witches join their group-" He silenced her with a kiss, arms wrapping around the woman's slender waist. "No fair." She protested when he finally pulled away.

"We're villains." He smirked at her. "We don't play fair. Just stop worrying and leave everything to me."

* * *

After taking brief stock of the situation, Cedric was feeling much better about the circumstances they currently found themselves in. He may have only had enough magic to get himself back to Hexley Hall, but Merlin assured him that he could handle Sofia's transfer, and Calista still seemed capable of her own. Though they were all battle-worn, to be sure, things were far less dire than he had made them out in his head.

With nothing else to be done, and the possibility that Sofia's witch friends might be heading to the school already, the conscious members of their im[romtu team agreed that it was time to head back and regroup. Cedric and Calista waited to make sure Merlin got Sofia to safety, then they followed after.


End file.
